Canada
Australia
After the US, Canada has the highest number of pickleball players, and it’s becoming an increasingly popular sport. But as more people take up the sport, we are also seeing more pickleball injuries.
Many of these are overuse injuries, such as tennis elbow (or pickleball elbow), shoulder pain, and wrist strain. There’s also an increase in acute injuries like meniscus tears and wrist fractures.
If you’re thinking about getting into pickleball or you’re already a player, we’ve written this guide on how to avoid the most common pickleball injuries.
Most Common Pickleball Injuries
Upper body injuries
Similar to tennis, pickleball involves a lot of repetitive lateral and overhead arm movements that can irritate and inflame tendons and ligaments in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints. These movements can also be fast and explosive, especially during a pickleball rally, putting further strain on the shoulder and arm.
Some common upper body injuries include:
- Shoulder pain from playing pickleball. It’s typically caused by shoulder tendinopathy, where rotator cuff tendons become inflamed from repeated overhead movements.
- Pickleball elbow or lateral epicondylitis. The outside of your elbow feels painful and tender.
- Wrist strain from gripping the paddle too hard, playing too much, or playing with the wrong technique.
Other upper body injuries include wrist fractures (typically from falls on the court) and back pain from all the twisting and bending.
Lower body injuries
Your lower body also takes a lot of impact when playing pickleball. The court is smaller, but there’s still a lot of twisting, cutting, and sudden stops and starts. All this puts a lot of strain on the hips, knees, ankles, and feet.
Common overuse injuries include plantar fasciitis, hip pain, knee pain (caused by injuries like bursitis), and Achilles tendinopathy.
A particularly aggressive twist can cause a meniscus tear in your knee, leaving you unable to play for weeks or months. Sudden movements can also cause your Achilles tendon to rupture.
How to Prevent Pickleball Injuries
- Warm up before playing to loosen your joints and muscles.
- If you’re new to pickleball or you’ve been inactive for a long time, start easy and give your body time to adapt. Start with 20-30 minute easy sessions, then slowly ramp up to more intense, longer sessions.
- Avoid the temptation to overplay. Spending hours on the court each day is a recipe for overuse injuries. 30 minutes to 1 hour is enough time for recreational players.
- Get adequate rest between games and take occasional days off.
- Learn how to maintain good form when playing. Get an instructor or look up instructions on proper technique for playing.
Away from the court, work on conditioning your body through activities like yoga, swimming, running, and weightlifting. These will strengthen your joints and muscles and reduce the risk of injury when playing pickleball.
How Physio Helps in Treating and Preventing Pickleball Injuries
Physio does two things: treating existing pickleball injuries and conditioning your joints and muscles to reduce the risk of future injuries.
If you suspect you have an injury from pickleball, we recommend you first see one of our Ace Certified Practitioners for an accurate diagnosis and plan. Physiotherapists and Osteopaths are primary care practitioners who deal with sports injuries daily. You can then get on one of our Ace Client Care Plans – a holistic program involving hands-on treatment, strengthening and advice to help you recover quicker and prevent the injury from recurring.
A good physio program can also keep you from getting injured in the first place. It might include progressive load management to strengthen specific joints, form/technique correction, and improving balance and coordination.
Get a Tailored Pickleball Injury Treatment Plan at Ace Sports Clinic Toronto
At Ace Sports, we help pickleball players of any level and age play safely and without pain. We offer tailored physiotherapy, massage therapy, osteopathy, and other therapies to help you heal faster and prevent the injury from recurring.
If you have a pickleball injury or want help avoiding sports injuries, our team of experts can help. We care for some of the best athletes and specialize in racquet sports like tennis, pickleball, squash and paddle. Give us a call at 1-833-266-5223.
Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified professional for personalized guidance based on your specific needs and circumstances.